The first attempt by podcasts to position themselves in the online market failed. The Internet was not prepared for them and they did not have the impact that later, when they returned years later, they found. Years later, smartphones had made that content much easier to access, high-speed mobile internet simplified downloading, and tech improvements made it easier to produce and share content. All this meant a change in the distribution and popularization of this content, creating an emerging podcast industry.

Brands and companies began to show interest in the podcast since it emerged and to see it as a possible asset in the advertising market. The first studies pointed out that the CPM achieved by podcasts was much higher than the online average and also that the connection of consumers with these ads was closer and therefore showed a higher potential in terms of results. Companies were interested in the podcast because it allowed them to talk in a way in a much more direct way with their potential consumers. The new content market therefore had a potential good reception among advertisers.

But can brands be content with just being the ad or should they go one step further? Is the podcast the new star of content marketing? One of the latest forecasts on the advertising market already anticipated that online audio was going to gain weight in advertising investment. The boom in podcasts and the growing presence of smart speakers would take audio from 4.5% of all advertising investment on the Internet to 6.8% in a few months. Brands, however, could not only position themselves in the content of others but also create their own content. The branded podcast could be right around the corner.

The example of the fashion industry
The fashion industry is already doing it, even though podcasts are very non-visual (and the fashion industry plays a lot with visuals). As pointed out in a medium specialized in the fashion industry, luxury brands and upper-middle-range commercial galleries are already launching their own podcasts and seeing in some cases how they work very well. One of the last of Saks became, in fact, one of the most listened to contents in the specialized ranking of Apple Podcast of beauty and fashion.

Barneys, Sephora, and even luxury brands (which are often very conservative in terms of marketing) are launching Last Database their own podcasts. Chanel has a themed podcast, Gucci another one that focuses on creation within the brand or Maison Margiela one that discusses the inspiration behind the collection and products.

"The format allows us to reach a broader audience, both in-store and nationally," says Kate Oldham, one of Saks' marketing managers. "Podcasts tell us a longer and more intimate story," he says, noting that the host of the podcast manages to connect in a personal way with the guests. As a directive from a media company adds, podcasts have become the way for brands in this industry to tell in-depth stories about their products, their story, and their brand, something the media is no longer doing.

In addition, and since producing podcasts is cheap to start with and has quite low costs in terms of the marketing budget, companies are experimenting with them more openly. That is, the cost barriers are lower and make testing cost less. The problem, experts point out, is that they can reach a very limited audience, although the one they manage to reach will be much more connected and with more engagement than the average.

What you can teach other companies
Some highly specialized B2B companies, such as consultants and market analysts, also have podcasts, with which they want to establish their image as experts in the market.

The truth is that the potential of podcasts is very high and can reach a very diverse audience. That is, any sector and any brand could use podcasts. You just have to know what your audience wants to hear and how she can deliver it to them.